By Mark Squibb
It’s a new year and a new way of doing things in Witless Bay.
The Town this week announced that current CAO Jennifer Aspell, who has been covering the role of Acting Town Clerk since July 2023, will assume the duties of the Town Clerk on a permanent basis, eliminating the need for a separate unionized position.
The Town is also looking to fill the vacated Finance and Administrative Position as well as a seasonal maintenance position.
When asked, Aspell said the positions were vacated last year.
The Town also this week announced the creation of a planning and development officer and a part-time recreation coordinator. The Town specified that the recreation coordinator position was created using funds that had previously been allocated to the Bay Bulls to Bauline Athletic Association (BBBAA).
For several years, the Town had contributed $37,000 annually to the organization, as per a memorandum of understanding (MOU) between Witless Bay and the group.
Following the expiration of that MOU at the close of 2022, council several times deferred making a decision on whether to fund the organization again. By the time neighbouring Bay Bulls announced that it would be willing to accept sole responsibility for the BBBAA in November, the matter had not appeared on Witless Bay council’s agenda for many months.
